June 1, 1948.
c, 'A, NERACHER
2,442,660
MOUNTING FOR TRANSMISSION SHIFTERS
Filed May 28, 1945
‘
2 Sheets~$heet 1
INVENTOR
[ZrZ r71 ?/erzzciers
‘BY
Zé/MW “MM
ATTO R N EYS.
June 1, 1948.
c. A. NERACHER
2,442,660
MOUNTING FOR TRANSMISSION SHIFTERS
Filed May 28, 1945
2 Sheets-Sheet 2
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INVENTOR
£LrrZ/7A/er4a%en
BY
-
ATTO R N EYS.
2,442,660
Patented June 1, 1948
UNITED STATES
FOB IEEANSMZISJSIQNZ
Carl: A.- Nerachels Detroit;
assign!!!" to;
Chrysler?orporationr?ighland Park», Mich”; a
corporationl'offDelaware
10‘ Claims; (Cli ‘Pi-473)?
1
mission casing; |2i,1es.vieWBd‘1IrFia 1;- Pitched:
within: the aear‘l?sareduced‘ end‘ ltifoffa driven
shaft; it extensiingrout of the; right: end." of‘ the
casing I 2 andihayinaa" driving. ?ange l5 secured:
thereto:- T?eiaealt lifmfesbestcentinilo. 13! with
a. gear-"1,6; recanted: Qaand cgennectedwitn'agear
This invention relates to a shifter mechanism.
More speci?cally, it relates, to connectingmeans
for shifters employed‘ in change-speed transmise
sions.
In transmissions involving a.v clutching memher
splined to, a rotatable shaft. and'slidable. there-..
cluster -I 1" through raceway-‘clutch: lit shown in;
Fig: 2: A gear lt9iqf the ecet'clusteri Hjis:
stantmesh. with a gear 2%- rvtete Jr mounted-‘Orr
the, driven’ shaft [41: 1A: clutqhinamemher 2.1 is.
spliced: Q11 a hub?wrtien: of; the gear Wendie;
adapted~ to be shifted into‘a" driving? connection
along into. driving Engagement~with either offtiizciv
transmission. gears, the clutchingmember
be
shifted by a IfOI‘k engaging a- circumferential
groove in the. clutching member' at‘ oppositesides
thereof, and the fork may be oscillatediby. atrock'
shaft extending in, transverse non-intersecting;
with. the gear I I thrqushdengegement of‘ in‘
be,
relation
movedtoalong.
the rotatable
the rotatableshaft
shaft, or. the
by- fork
meansofv
ternal teethjonjthe clutchihgmemberwith clutch
a rail parallel. to. the. rotatable shaft‘hto, which 15 teetnj 22.1 A blocker" ‘1K3~ isfshown between the
clutching member~ 2| and: clutch; teeth 22: A1
clutching member 24f is spline‘? Oll'the driven sh ft
IG and is 'shiftable-to the‘leftfasj-viewed i'nrFig;
1; into drivingengagement with-thegearifil‘; en
railf the. fork is ?xed or
be. movedl along the.
rail by, some. other means. With. any. off'the,
above constructions there will be a,.tendenc5,r for
the shifter not to move. directly along the,rot_at_-..
able shaft but at a slight angle- thereto, because. 20 Easement o?nternal teeth-on'the clutching ‘mem
ber ‘24L with clutch'Y teeth 25jonlthe- gear 20} taking
place.- A- blockcr?‘lies between‘ clutch-teethf 251
of some slightinaccuracy in. thepositioningoi
the. rock shaft orrailfwith respect to, therotatable
shaft. I have invented new connections. for
shifters that will overcome. the drawbacks of such
inaccuracies.
'
_
An object. of thepresentinvention isto proyide
improvements in the mounting of'a shifter for‘
moving a clutching memben This may. involve}
provision for rocking of the shifter with respect,
to. its mounting...
‘
andlclutching -member~24-. The clutching mem
ber 24 is; shiftabletp the-right into: drivingen‘e
25 gagement withf-a" gear '21-; rotatably-mounte’ds on
the drivensha’ft' l4}. engagement- internaljteethj
on'fthelclutehing-gmember‘ 24='lwith~clut§ch*teeth= 2i!~
on'the gear'?i taking place; A'blocken 29‘>>lie_s-;
between? the clutching member 24-1 andiith'e clutch
30‘
teeth 2840f; the‘ gear =21: Thegear 21" is con
'stant mesh with-a’ gear- Q01'lof'ithe'gearset H,- A
gear 31; fixed tothewlriven» shaft‘ lid’, is adapted
to have" driving» connection with a gear 323 of the;
A further object is the provision: of an improved
mounting for a control member on arockj shaft;
The control member may be employed ‘to: shift. a
clutching member in a transmission along‘. a
rotatable shaft to whichthe clut'clriingmernbervijs.
splined.‘
35
‘
gearset I] through-.25‘reversejidler; gear 33'‘; which;
is adapted to be‘ shifted tolthe leftv into mesh-with;
gears Stand 32}; as-vvi'ewedi in Fig‘. 1;
Theclut'chi-ng memberv 2} has a- circumferential
Another object is the provision of an improved;
groove‘ 34; in which are“positioned?shoes;35.‘ The:
mounting for a control member. on aslidablerail.
shoes haveeround? bearing portions 36_-- reeeivedj'
The control member may be employed to, shift‘, a
clutching member along a. shaft in" a transmission. 40 inv openings/in the? ends off ash-ifterfQrk 37-1 The
shifter‘ fork has: at: a centrali portionla through .
Other objects will appear from~ the disclosure;
opening 38 of considerable length, Aslseen'in‘Fi'g.
4", the opening- 3871s generally rectangular in
shape; two- opposed-long sides 3-9 being! straight,
In the drawing:
Fig. 1 is a longitudinal‘sectional‘view through
a change-speed transmission;
Fis- 2. is a sectional: view taken0nthe1ine2”—2i 45:
of‘Fig. 1;
'
Fig. 3 is a sectional‘view taken‘ on' the'line 3‘--3‘
cf'li‘is- 2;
\
.
Fig. 4 is a sectional-view taken on‘ the li e 4-4"
of-Fig. 2; and
~
Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on"the"line~-5—-5i
of'Fig. 1,.
vex. A roclishaft-l‘l extends through the opening:
3,8;and1has circular and portions 42 ‘and~'4~3-*-jour'na'lled; respectively, in thick bearing portions; 44¢
and aerormea in~thetransmissloncasing £22 The
50 portion of the rockshaft 4| in the opening 3811s
generally rectangular, two-v opposed-1 long». sides: 46_
being straight‘ and-two; opposed! short‘: sides 411:?
being convex; The thickness‘ ofithespontibzr oi?"
A driving shaft I0; which may; be- connected
the rockshaft' 4 l1? within‘.theropenings'inithezshifteni
tolana engine not shown, terminates»: a-gear lit,
positioned just within the left- end of?-aitransa Iii-3111s- aboutithelsame-‘asrthat. oiii‘theopeni'nglso
2,442,660
4
that the upper straight side 46 closely ?ts the
upper straight side 39, and there is only a slight
clearance between the lower straight side 46 and
the lower straight side 39. However, except at
the portion of the rockshaft at the mid section of
the length of the opening 38 in the shifter 31,
the width of the rockshaft is de?nitely less than
that of the-opening so: that the. convex sides 41
of the rockshaft*4|"are spaced from the convex
sides 46 of the opening 38. At the mid section 10
of the length of the opening there are ribs 48
on the convex sides 41 engaging the convex sides ,
II, and the clutching member 24 engages the gear
20, then drive is transmitted directly from gear
|| through clutching member 2|, gear 20, and
gear 24 to the driven shaft l4.
If the clutching member 2| engages the gear I |,
and the clutching member 24 engages the gear 21,
then drive is transmitted from the gear ||
through clutching member 2|, gears 20, I9, 30,
and 21, and clutching member 24 to the driven
I
shaft I4.
Thus four forward speeds are provided.
If a reverse drive is desired, the clutching mem
49 of the opening 38. Thus the shifter 31 may ‘7 ber 24 is maintained, as shown in Fig. 1, out of
engagement with gears 26 and 21, and the clutch
rock with respect to the rockshaft 4| in aplane
parallel to the straight sides 39 and 46 of the
ing member will probably be in the position shown
opening 38 and the rockshaft 4| about the ribs I
in Fig. 1, out of- engagement with the gear ||,
43 on the rockshaft. Such rocking will permit‘ ,_
a slight deviation of the rockshaft 4| from a posi- - '
tion transverse of the axis of the driven shaft, l4» ‘ =
without a tendency for one shoe 35 to be dis 20
and the reverse idler gear 33 is shifted into en
gagement with the gears 3| and 32. Then drive
willbetransmitted from gear II on driving shaft
l0 through gears I6, 32, 33, and 3| to driven
placed with respect to the other shoe 35 axially
of the driven shaft M. on the other hand, the
relatively close fit of the straight sides of the
shaft [4.
is secured to a rail 54 by means of a screw 55
the shifter opening and having opposed parallel
I claim:
‘
»
1. In an assembly comprising a rotatable shaft,
a clutch member driving connected to the ro
opening in the shift fork and the rockshaft causes
any angular movement of the rockshaft to result 25 tatable member and shiftable along the rotatable
member, a shifter partially embracing the clutch
in shifting of the clutching member 2| along the
member and engaging the clutch member‘ at
driven shaft 24 toward or away from the gear 2|.
spaced regions, the shifter having a through
On the end portion 43 of the rockshaft 4| outside
opening of considerable length extending in
the transmission casing I2 is secured an arm 49,
which may control the angular position of the 30 generally parallel relation to a line between the
aforementioned regions and in transverse .non~
rockshaft 4| in accordance with speed conditions
intersecting relation to the axis of the rotatable
through a gear 50 on the gearset I1 and other
member and having opposed parallel planar sur
connecting means not shown.
faces extending generally parallel to the axis of
The clutching member 24 has a circumferential
groove 5| in which rest shoes 52 formed on the 35 the rotatable member, the combination with the
shifter opening, of a rockshaft extending through
ends of a shifter fork 53. The shifter fork 53
planar surfaces spaced apart an amount equal
passing through the shifter 53. The rail 54 .passes
to the spacing of the opposed parallel planar
through an opening 56 in a wide portion 51 of the
shifter 53. The opening 56 is generally circular 40 surfaces of the shifter opening so as to ?t closely
within the planar surfaces of the shifter opening,
at a mid region through which the screw 55
the dimensions of the rockshaft parallel to the
passes and ?ts the rail 54 closely at this region.
planar surfaces thereof being, except at a region
At the end regions the opening 56 ?ts the rail 54
central of the length of the portion of the rock
closely at top and bottom, as seen in Fig. 1, and
shaft in the shifter opening less than correspond
loosely at the sides, as seen in Fig. 5. This per
ing dimensions of the shifter opening, the dimen
mits a slight rocking movement of the shifter
sions of the rockshaft paralle1 to the planar sur
fork 53 about the rail 54, which provides com
faces thereof at the aforesaid central region being
pensation for any slight out-of-parallel condi
equal to the corresponding dimensions of the
tion of the rail 54 and the driven shaft H in-'
volving deviation from a plane containing. the 50 shifter opening, whereby the shifter may pivot
with respect to the rockshaft about the aforesaid
axes of the rail 54 and the driven shaft l4. The
central region thereof only parallel to the planar
rail 54 is mounted for lengthwise sliding move
surfaces of .the rockshaft and the shifter opening.
>ment in a cover 58 for the transmission casing I2.
' 2. In an assembly comprising a rotatable shaft,
Such lengthwise movement is provided by a con
trol member 59 having a ball portion 60 at its 55 a clutch member drivingly connected to the
rotatable member and shiftable along the ro
lower end ?tting between projections 6| on a col
tatable member, a shifter partially embracing
lar 62 secured to the -rail 54. A ball portion 63
the clutch member and engaging the clutch
on the control member 59 is journalled in a spher
member at spaced regions, the shifter having a
ical opening 64 in the casing cover 58. A spring
65 holds the ball portion 63 in the opening 64'. 60 through opening of considerable length extend
Thus provision for pivoting of the control mem
ber 59 is made.
,7
ing in generally parallel relation to a line between
the aforementioned regions and in transverse
non-intersecting relation to the axis of the ro
Assume that the clutching member 2| is'in the
tatable member and having opposed paralle1
position shown in Fig. 1. Then drive is trans
mitted from the gear II on the driving shaft in 65 planar surfaces extending generally parallel to
the axis of the rotatable member, the combina
through the gears l6 and If! to the gear 20. If
tion with the shifter opening, of a rockshaft
the clutching member 24 engages the gear 20,
extending through the shifter opening and hav
then drive is transmitted from the gear v211
ing opposed parallel planar surfaces spaced apart
through the clutching member 24 to the driven
70 an amount equal to the spacing of the opposed
parallel planar surfaces of the shifter opening
If the clutching member 24 engages the gear
21, then drive is transmitted from the gear I I
so as to ?t closely within the planar surfaces of
the shifter opening, the opposed connecting sur
through the gears I6, 30, and 21, and the clutch
ing member 24 to the driven shaft l4.
faces of the rockshaft between the planar
If the clutching member 2| engages the gear 75 surfaces thereof being except at a region central
shaft
l4.
.
I
v
.
2,442,660.
of‘th'ei length of theporti'omof theirockshaftiin
the‘ shifter opening: spaced? apart’ less? than» the
member along:tirel-rotatablemembert anal‘ toiprw
vide fori'lim‘ite'd‘ pivotal-movement ofithelshifter?
opposediconnecting surfaces of the shifter open
withlrespectito the rail, saidim'eansi comprisinglan‘i
ing between the planar surfaces thereof, the con
openingiinr the‘shifter ‘receiving: the ‘rail :and5ha'v
necting surfaces of the rockshaft being provided
in‘ga region‘ central-of the length of theopening'
attheaforesaid central region with ribs extend
?tting the rail closely androther regions fitting
ing between the planar surfaces of the rockshaft
the rail loosely" and means acting at the‘ central
and closely ?tting the connecting surfaces of
region of the shifter opening to securerthe rail
the shifter opening, whereby the shifter may
to‘the/shifter.‘
pivot with respect to the rockshaft about‘ the 10V 7‘. In an assembly comprising a rotatable mem
region‘ of the ribs on the rockshaft only parallel
ber, a clutch member shiftable along the rotat~
to-the planar surfaces of the rcck'shaft‘v and the
able member and drivingly connected thereto, a
shifter opening.
.
shifter partially embracing the‘ clutch member
3. In an assembly comprising a rotatable
and engaging spaced regions thereof, and an ax
member, a clutch member shiftable along the 16 ially shiftable rail positioned parallel to the axis
rotatable member and drivingly connected
of the rotatable member, the combination with
thereto, a shifter partially embracing and en
the shaft and the shifter, of means associating
gaging spaced regions of the clutch member and
the shifter and the rail so as to cause axial shift
having a through opening of considerable length
ing of the rail to make the shifter shift the clutch
extending in generally transverse non-intersect 20 member along the rotatable member and to pro
ing relation to the axis of the rotatable shaft,
vide for limited pivotal movement of the shifter
the combination with the opening in the shifter,
with respect to the rail, said means comprising
of a rockshaft extending through the shifter
an opening in the shifter formed relatively small
opening and being so proportioned with respect
at a central region and relatively large at end
thereto as to ?t the shifter opening closely in a
regions and receiving the rail and a screw passing
direction transverse to the axis of the rotatable
through the rail and secured to the central region
member and to fit the shifter opening loosely in
of the opening.
a direction parallel to the axis of the rotatable
8. In an assembly comprising a rotatable mem
member except at a region of the shifter opening
ber, a clutch member slidable along the rotatable
central of the length thereof, where the fit is
member anddrivingly connected thereto, a clutch
tight.
member partially embracing the shifter and en
4. In an assembly comprising a rotatable mem
gaging spaced regions thereof, and a shaft-like
ber, a clutch member shiftable along the ro
element, the combination with the shaft-like ele
tatable member and drivingly connected
ment and the shifter, of means associating the
thereto, a shifter partially embracing and engag
shifter and the shaft-like element so as to cause
ing spaced regions of the clutch member and
movement of the shaft-like element to make the
having a through opening of considerable length
shifter shift the clutch member along the rotat
extending in generally transverse non-intersect
able member and to provide for limited pivotal
ing relation to the axis of the rotatable shaft,
movement of the shifter with respect to the shaft
the combination with the opening in the shifter, 40 like element, said means comprising an opening
of a rockshaft extending through the shifter
in the shifter closely ?tting the shaft-like mem
opening and ?tting the shifter opening so as
ber at a region central of the length of the open
to provide for slight pivoting of the shifter with
ing and loosely ?tting the shaft-like member at
respect to the rockshaft in a plane generally
the end regions of the opening.
parallel to the axis of the rotatable shaft and
9. ‘In an assembly comprising a rotatable mem
to prevent such pivoting in a plane generally
ber, a clutch member shiftable along the rotat
transverse to the axis of the rotatable member.
able member and drivingly connected thereto, a
shifter partially embracing the clutch member
5. In an assembly comprising a rotatable mem
ber, a clutch member shiftable along the rota
and engaging spaced regions thereof, and an ax
table member and drivingly connected thereto,
a shifter partially embracing and engaging
spaced regions of the clutch member and having
ially shiftable rail positioned parallel to the axis
of the rotatable member, the combination with
the shaft and the shifter, of means associating
a through opening of considerable length ex
the shifter and the rail so as to cause axial shift
tending in generally transverse non-intersecting
ing of the rail to make the shifter shift the clutch
relation to the axis of the rotatable shaft, the 55 member along the rotatable member and to pro
combination with the opening in the shifter, of
vide for limited pivotal movement of the shifter
a rockshaft extending through the shifter open
with respect to the rail, said means comprising
ing and ?tting the shifter opening so as to pro
an opening in the shifter formed so as to have
vide for slight pivoting of the shifter about a
a central region closely ?tting the rail on all sides
region of the rockshaft central of the length of 60 and ‘end regions closely ?tting the rail on two ope
the shifter opening in a plane generally parallel
to the axis of the rotatable member and to pre
vent all movement of the shifter with respect
to the rockshaft in a plane generally transverse
to the axis of the rotable member.
6. In an assembly comprising a rotatable mem
ber, a clutch member shiftable along the rotat
able member and drivingly connected thereto, a
shifter partially embracing the clutch member
p-osite sides and loosely ?tting the rail on two
other opposite sides and means passing through
the rail and secured to the central region of the
shifter opening for preventing relative movement
65 of the shifter along the rail.
10. In an assembly comprising a rotatable
member, a clutch member shiftable along the ro
tatable member and drivingly connected thereto,
a shifter partially embracing the clutch mem
70 ber and engaging spaced regions thereof, and an
axially shiftable rail positioned parallel to the
ially shiftable rail positioned parallel to the axis
axis of. the rotatable member, the combination
of the rotatable member, the combination with
the shaft and the shifter, of means associating
with the shaft and the shifter, of means associ
and engaging spaced regions thereof, and an ax
the shifter and the rail so as to cause axial shift
ating the shifter and the rail so as to cause axial
ing of the rail to make the shifter shift the clutch 75 shifting of the rail to make the shifter shiftthe
2,442,660
clutch member along the rotatable member and
‘the rail between the two opposite sides of the
shifter opening and threaded into the shifter.
> to provide for ‘limited pivotal movement of the
CARL A. NERACHER.
shifter with respect to the rail, said means com
prising an opening in the shifter formed so as to
REFERENCES CITED
have a. central regiOn of circular shape closely 51
The following references are of record in the
?tting the rail on all sides and end regions of
?le of this patent:
elliptical shape closely'?tting the rail on two'op
posite sides considered in a plane containing the
UNITED STATES PATENTS
axes of the rail and. the rotatable shaft and
loosely ?tting the rail on two opposite sides con 10 Number
1,035,503
sidered on opposite sidesof a plane containing
the aforesaid axes, and a screw passing through
1,963,387
2,328,088
Name
Date
Webb ____________ __ Aug. 13, 1912
Simpson _________ __ June 19, 1934’
Magee ___________ __ Aug. 31, 1943